Loughinisland Churches

54°20′13.87″N 5°48′44.01″W / 54.3371861°N 5.8122250°W / 54.3371861; -5.8122250

South Church and graveyard, 2006
North Church, March 2010
North Church and graveyard, 2010
Graveyard, March 2010

The Loughinisland Churches are the remains of three ruined churches in Loughinisland, County Down, Northern Ireland, dating from the 13th to the 17th centuries. They are situated in Tievenadarragh townland, in a large graveyard on an island in Loughinisland Lake, now reached by a causeway.[1] The churches are state-care historic monuments at grid ref: J4234 4537.[2]

History

[3]

[4][5]

The island and its churches appear in medieval sources under the name Lerkes or Lyrge. [6]

Features

The North Church is 66.5 ft by 30 ft, the gables and most of the side walls are standing and a doorway in the west end has a narrow window above it.[6]

References

  1. ^ Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland (1983). Historic Monuments of Northern Ireland. Belfast: HMSO. pp. 104–105.
  2. ^ "Tievenadarragh" (PDF). State Care Historic Monuments. Retrieved 16 July 2009.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Harbinson, P. (1992). Guide to National and Historic Monuments of Ireland. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. p. 116.
  4. ^ Government of Northern Ireland (1947). An Account of the Ancient Monuments in State Charge. Belfast: HMSO. pp. 25–26.
  5. ^ "The Three Ruined Churches of Loughinisland". Ros Davies' County Down, Northern Ireland Genealogy Research Site. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
  6. ^ a b "Loughinisland ancient church site". A Journey through Kinelarty. Archived from the original on 22 March 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
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